To orient graduates with insights into career opportunities, sectoral challenges, and emerging research areas, ITN-BUET organized an orientation for BUET graduates on Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) on April 26, 2025.
A total of 26 post-graduates and final-year students from Civil Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Urban & Regional Planning, Chemical Engineering, Institute of Water & Flood Management and Anthropology departments attended the half day long program at the ITN-BUET Seminar Room in Dhaka. Among the 26 participants, 10 were female.
Mr. Alauddin Ahmed, Project Manager at ITN-BUET, welcomed the participants and appreciated their willingness to work in the WASH sector. Afterwards, Mr. Md Azizur Rahman, Research Officer at ITN-BUET briefed the participants about the Centre, including its rich legacy of 28 years and its missions and visions. He highlighted the major areas of specialization of ITN-BUET, including capacity building, trainings and research for human resource development in WASH sector in Bangladesh and south Asia region, major achievements, recognitions, team and scope of working with ITN-BUET.
The introductory session was followed by the technical sessions conducted by two distinguished eminent WASH sector experts including Mr. Md Habibur Rahman, WASH Specialist at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) at the Regional Hub Dhaka Bangladesh and Mr. Md. Shofiqul Alam, WASH Specialist at UNICEF Bangladesh.
Mr. Md. Habibur Rahman discussed water and wastewater treatment technologies, waste-to-energy initiatives with shading lights on disaster risk reduction in his presentation, with an emphasis on career-building opportunities for young professionals in the WASH sector in Bangladesh and beyond.
Afterwards, Mr. Md. Shofiqul Alam introduced the participants with some popular terminologies and national and international commitment like SGD 6.2 related to WASH. He also discussed different WASH technologies and their threats due to climate change. Both presenters shared their journey of long career in WASH sector and also gave insight into the opportunities of a prosperous career in the sector on national or global level. Mr. Shofiqul encouraged the female participants to consider working for the sector as the sector lack gender equity and there are ample opportunities for women. They also replied to the queries of participants and suggested steps to become a WASH professional.
Finally in the closing remarks, Professor Dr. Rowshan Mamtaz, Director of ITN-BUET, congratulated the participants for their enthusiasm, commitment and dedication to the event. She shared her satisfying journey as a female WASH professional and encouraged all to pursue a career in the WASH sector. The orientation event ended with certificate distribution.
